Police Association reacts to officer’s death

As the Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF) mourns the suspected suicide of Constable Philip Greaves, the President of the Police Association, Constable 345 David Alleyne, has issued a call to Barbadians to be their brother’s keeper.

“I believe that the police force, the community and all the people in the country should try an work closely together, so we can build much better relationships and make our country safer,” said Constable Alleyne.

The body of 44-year-old Greaves, who was attached to the Canine Unit, was found hanging at his home at Work Hall Development, St Philip around 12:30 p.m. Sunday.

The late Constable Philip Greaves.

“This is something that will affect our members dearly,” said Alleyne, adding that the officer’s untimely death was also cause for national concern.

“It is times like these that even when you don’t understand and you question what has happened, you just want to say that it is important that people learn to work together, whatever happens, and they should always have some person who they can go to, who they can relate anything to,” he explained.

It was a somber scene outside the house of the late officer on Sunday, as several divisional heads of the Force, members of the Canine Unit, detectives, as well as neighbours gathered after receiving news of the death of Constable 1691.

“We just want the family and the relatives [and] all of those who were connected to know that all the members of the police association express our sympathy to them. We ask them to take a little time out, have that little quiet moment with God and pray to him, even though you don’t understand,” Constable Alleyne advised.

He also described Greaves’ death as a difficult one for the law enforcement family.

“Welfare is a very big issue on our part right now and we’re trying to make sure that we can find ways to assist our members and to also try to see into situations like this as much as we can,” he said, adding that he was unsure whether lawmen were using the counseling facilities provided to them effectively.

Speaking to reporters at the scene, Acting Assistant Superintendent of Police David Welch, described the situation as “tragic” and one of “great sadness”.

He said the RBPF had put measures in place to help Constable Greaves’ family cope.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time and we are supporting them by having some counselors assist in this time of bereavement,” said ASP Welch, who could not say when last officer Greaves was on duty.

A neighbour, who did not want to be identified, described the deceased police constable, who lived alone, as “a very quiet guy, who kept to himself”.

“Even when he was at home you wouldn’t know that he was there,” the St Philip resident said.

Police investigations are continuing into the “unnatural death” of the officer who had been in the Force for some 14 years.

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